Scotland: reigning champs

I played in three World Cups myself and I was immensely proud to be part of a team of two people representing my country. But it always surprises me that the superstars don't want to go and try to win the World Cup.

Mark Roe
Quotes of the week

MISSION HILLS WORLD CUP
Live on Sky Sports
3.30am, Thu, Sky Sports 1
3.30am, Fri, Sky Sports 3
3.30am, Sat, Sky Sports 3
3.30am, Sun, Sky Sports 3

The World Cup is a truly historic and important event.

It started as the Canada Cup way back in the 1950s and it has always had a remit to foster goodwill through golf around all of the nations of the world that play the sport.

I played in three World Cups myself and I was immensely proud to be part of a team of two people representing my country. Nowadays some players decide not to play in the event due to busy schedules and we end up with players from further down the Order of Merit, but it always surprises me that the superstars don't want to go and try to win the World Cup for their country.

Unfortunately the event falls at the end of the year when guys have been travelling an awful lot and are looking forward to some time off. Perhaps China is seen as a long journey and some guys would rather switch off and relax.

But we should still be in for a magnificent tournament. The format is fourballs - which players look forward to because you can end up with some very low scores - and then foursomes, which is the hard bit.

Foursomes is an art form and you are under immense pressure because not only do you want to avoid letting your partner down, but you don't want to let your country down either.

Of course you need to get on well with the guy you're playing with and it's important to have good camaraderie and team spirit. But when you get to this level, and with the way the selection is done, I'm sure all of the guys are full of respect for each other.

Let's take a look at eight of the main contenders this weekend...

England

Ian Poulter has chosen Ross Fisher, a very talented and gifted young player, who is having a great season and I think this is a tremendously strong partnership. Ross has simply had the best year of his life and has flown up the world ranking into the top 35. Poulter, of course, had a magnificent Ryder Cup as the leading points scorer in any of the teams and also showed great form last week in the last two rounds of the Dunlop Phoenix in Japan, finishing 66,69. He was really upset when he had his driver stolen recently but his game looks to be back on song and I'm making these two my favourites. Maybe it's time for England to bring the World Cup home.

Scotland

There's an interesting dynamic in this team with Colin Montgomerie and Alistair Forsyth. The rules of the competition mean Scotland could not have one player and a pick because no Scots were in the top 100 in the world - so it was the bast two available which eliminated Marc Warren, even though he won it woth Monty last year. It's a shame Monty can't defend his title with Marc because it would seem like the right thing to do. However, Alistair Forsyth will be immensely proud to play with Monty in the World Cup - although I'd be astonished if they won it because Monty isn't putting well enough.

Ireland

Graeme McDowell and Paul McGinley are a very strong team and I expect to see them featuring strongly. McDowell had a brilliant season which included a Ryder Cup debut, a win at the Barclays and a win at the Ballantine's. He's been having a great time, but a lot of the success of that partnership will come down to how McGinley putts. He's a brilliant ball-striker and a fabulous partner to have in foursomes which is two of the four rounds - so I expect to see a challenge from the Irish.

Sweden

If you look at the rankings these guys are the favourites, but I do wonder how tired Henrik Stenson and Robert Karlsson must be. Karlsson played a lot of golf in the run-up to winning the Order of Merit and Stenson was saying he was tired back in September at the Ryder Cup. I just think Fisher and Poulter will be fresher after a little bit of time off, but there is no doubt Sweden will be a powerful team. It was astonishing that Nick Faldo didn't pair them together in the Ryder Cup until the second-afternoon fourballs because they looked like a nailed on partnership form the start.

Denmark

The Hansens? I thought they were a pop group? To be fair, Soren and Anders Hansen will be a good team. I'm so impressed with Soren, who is one of the most improved players in the world. Anders is a tad on the eccentric side at times but when he gets hot he can put some low numbers on the board. As a fourball partnership they're dynamic, so expect a huge amount of birdies from those two. I could see them contending.

USA

I would be astonished if Ben Curtis and Brandt Snedeker feature. I know Curtis had a great year and made the Ryder Cup team, but I'm not a big fan of his swing and his technique. We all know Snedeker's had a torrid time of late and for America to be sending those two to the World Cup is a real shame. It's a pity a few of their top guys haven't got a little bit more pride to go and try to win an event that they have won 23 times over the years. I'm astonished it has come down to those two.

India

Jeev Milkha Singh is one of my favourite players in the world. He has got the most infectious smile and he's an absolute joy to be around on and off the golf course. He's a miracle of the game because his self-taught technique really shouldn't hold up under pressure. There's not a lot right with it, but his heart is the size of a lion and that's what brings him through. He's learned the art of scoring and while his style is very individual it's very effective and you want guys like him to win tournaments and to be a role model for a nation of young golfers. His partner Jyoti Randhawa is also a good player and it's a golden period for Indian golf with the likes of Shiv Kapur and Arjun Atwal playing well too. It would be some story if they came through this week.

Spain

This is a fascinating team. The experienced wise old sage Miguel Angel Jimenez combining with the Seve-like flair of French Open champion Pablo Larrazabal, perhaps one of the most exciting young players in the world. This is a dark horse of a team who might surprise a few people this weekend.